Late September

I know I haven't been posting regularly over here this year, but I have been posting so that's good!  Today I did a lot of work outside before taking these pictures shortly after midday.  I trimmed the arborvitae out front and power washed the front of the house.  We get a lot of insects and spiders on the front of the house, and their excrement and webs really make it look dirty so I wanted to clean it again before it got too cool out and before winter.  Not ideal sun angles for pictures, but it's when I had the time so that's when it happened.

We really haven't paid a lot of attention to the gardens lately.  It seems to be managing just fine for now.  The strawberry plants are all still alive in the east garden, and I noticed a random tomato plant growing in there, too.  It's in the top left of the picture.


The west garden is, well, just is.  The onions are from a poor batch of seeds and the herbs are all alive still.  Before long it will be time to add the soil from the compost bin and clean them up for winter.


After the break is another yard tour.  It is autumn now and the plants are showing the wear of a long summer and recent dry spells.  This tour has commentary added to the pictures for context.  Come along, let's take a look at our yard and garden as it is now!

It's all after the break, go on, click it!

The day lilies are waning but still have a bloom here and there.

This greens of this plant have been very bad all year but the pink flowers keep coming.

Work in progress, year to year.

Critters have hit these pretty good all year so we're lucky to have any left.  In the lower right you can see the recently dug up plant so something could hide a walnut there.  The mini rose in the middle is decimated now.

See lower left, see next picture.

A walnut falling, probably bouncing, impaled itself on the fence.

Neighbor Dave has 3 Black Walnut trees.  I get some, but he gets a whole lot more.  I throw them into the corner behind the lilac bush where they pile up for the squirrels to feast, and they do because by spring there is no pile of nuts.  I'm not really sure how Dave disposes of them, but he has told me that a 5 gallon bucket holds about 150 and last year he stopped counting at five thousand.

The Burning Bush is starting to change color!  I should see about trimming it, to get it smaller and more in control.

I had an observer, carefully staying out of my way.  LOTS of rabbits this year in the area.  Where are the foxes?

Still part of the yard, technically.  This is the foundation/driveway seam I re-sealed while on vacation, 

The heat and dryness has greatly affected the small pot and the hanging pot - similar plants.  Much brown but I'll get them to the end of the season.  They may be a bit ugly but they still flower.  The big pot is still doing well and the planted one has been starting to be eaten.  I added moth balls in that area today to deter the nibblers.

Pretty round bushes. I pruned the arborvitae out front today, a fall ritual.

Thank you for reading this far, I hope you enjoyed it.